The Clover Effect
by phantomofgallifrey
Summary: Set somewhere around Season 3. Sheldon meets someone who makes him rethink his ideas of relationships and human contact. I do not own The Big Bang Theory. I only own the character I created. This is my first fanfiction, so I don't know all the ropes of it yet.
1. Chapter 1

**1**

"I think you would like the dissertation I wrote to get my PhD," Sheldon told Amy while removing the lid from his Thai food container. "It should be located on the shelf under the T.V, that's where I keep all my sentimental documents." Food continued to be passed around the coffee table while Amy rustled under the television.

"Is this it?" She asked, holding up a brown folder. She wiped the dust off of the cover and opened it. Inside were numerous pictures of the group that were all sitting before her, but there was a mysterious woman with them. She didn't recognize this woman at all.

"No no no," Sheldon stuttered and reached for the folder. "That's … something else." A few pictures fell from the folder. On the back of the pictures was the date they were taken. They were from only about 2 years ago. Amy picked up the pictures. One of them had the strange woman sitting with Sheldon in the very living room they were in now. Sheldon was holding the woman's hand and she had her head thrown back, as if she were laughing. In another they appear to be with the rest of the group.

"Sheldon, who is this woman?" The rest of the group looked up and saw the folder and pictures in question.

"Oh no," Leonard muttered.

_Flashback to about a year ago_

"I'm still upset they canceled Firefly," Sheldon complained while he and Leonard made their way up the stairs. "It was brilliant; they had no reason to cancel it!"

"I know Sheldon. I've heard the same thing from you since it got taken off the air in 2003."

"One season, that's it. It's demeaning. I mean, terrible shows like Babylon 5 got four years on television. It's not fair."

"Sheldon, I get it." They were coming up to the third floor now. Leonard was about to ask for a subject change when Sheldon suddenly stopped. The door to 3b opened and a young woman stepped out.

"Oh hello, you must be the tenants upstairs." She smiled, extending her hand to Sheldon. He gave her a look, as if he was deciding whether to be polite and shake her hand or to avoid human contact as per usual. He sighed and gently shook her hand. As soon as they came in contact he mentally noted how soft her hands were.

"We live 4a," Leonard told her, returning the friendly handshake.

"How nice to meet you, my name is Maria. Maria Clover to be exact." She had a somewhat European dialect.

"Your accent suggest something of European decent, am I correct?" Sheldon asked.

"Why yes. I have a bit of Russian, Ukrainian, and French, but I was born in America. And from the slight twang in your voice, I'm going to guess you are from the South, yes?"

"Correct. Born and raised in Galveston, Texas."

"Well Mr. Texas sir, I am looking forward to being your neighbor."

"It's Sheldon, actually. Please refrain from calling me 'Mr. Texas' ever again."

Maria gave a mock salute, "Yes sir." Sheldon stood for a minute, and then gave a delayed breathy laugh.

"You know Maria; you could join us for dinner tonight," Leonard offered. "I'm sure you would get along great with the rest of the group and it will give you the chance to make acquaintances with some of the other residents, like Penny."

"Oh that would be lovely! Let me just ready myself and I will be up in about 15 minutes."

"Sounds great, my name is Leonard by the way. I haven't gotten the chance to introduce myself."

"Nice to meet you. I will see you upstairs soon." She smiled and returned to her new apartment.

Sheldon and Leonard continued up the stairs. "I quite like her." Sheldon said.

"Really? You usually dread the idea of new tenants." Leonard unlocked the door and dropped his keys into the bowl.

"Yes, but… She's different."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to the people who followed, favorited, and/or reviewed. I didn't realize that would happen so fast! As I said before, I am completely new to posting fanfiction so I might forget something or maybe accidentally publish or not publish something. We never know. Anyway, if anyone is curious maybe as to what Maria looks like or the inspiration for her name or anything else, just ask and I will let you know. **

**I own nothing except for the OC character. Thank you. **

* * *

**2**

There were four quick knocks at the door. Sheldon opened it to find Maria standing before him, but looking slightly refreshed since 15 minutes ago.

"Hello," he had a slight smile on his face. This was unusual. Sheldon didn't usually greet guests with such a sunny exterior.

"Do you mind if I come in?" she asked. Sheldon snapped out of his ogling phase and stepped aside. "I like the interior decorating," she said, turning in circles around the apartment.

"Thank you. We do our best to reflect our interest onto the bland walls of our apartment." Sheldon told her bluntly. Maria gave a slight nod with a confused look on her face.

"So, what do you guys do for a living?" she asked while continuing to look around the apartment.

"My worked is primarily based in theoretical physics. As you can tell from my whiteboard," he gestured with his hand, "I am currently attempting to solve the unsolvable."

"What mystery are you tackling at the moment?" she asked. Sheldon then went into great detail on what he had written on his board, pointing out scientific equations to her and making large gestures in his excitement. He appeared as happy as a child when you asked them about their favorite movie or television program. "That's very impressive Sheldon." In all honesty she understood maybe 1/3 of what he had said, but she liked his smile and didn't want to make it fade by her lack of understanding.

"I know," he said, leaning against the board. Leonard returned with the food while the rest of the group filed in not too long afterwards. Maria was introduced to everyone, and was thankful not to be the only girl in the group. There was Penny, who she was told lived across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon, and there was also Bernadette who was with Howard. Everyone settled in the living room and Sheldon was getting bottled water while Maria tried to find a place to sit.

"That's my spot," Sheldon pointed to the cushion on the far right of the couch.

"I could tell," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"The butt print," she stated simply.

"Well, yes but that could be anyone's. How could you tell it belonged to me?" Sheldon wanted to outsmart her, maybe make her admit she only guessed or that someone else filled her in.

"I've been observing the uh…rear end in question, and it appears to fit right in there."

"Ah," he sat down and opened his water. _Wait…Did she just admit to checking him out? Not just him but, one of his 'assets' per say?_ His cheeks flushed a bright red and he took a long drink to attempt to cover his embarrassment.

Maria eventually ended up sharing a chair with Penny. Apparently the men were making plans to go to the Comic Book Store afterwards and then continue to play Halo when returning.

"Maria," Sheldon shifted to face her. "Would you like to accompany us to the Comic Book Store this evening?"

"I guess. I'm not really into comic books but I'd like to join you."

"Very good." Sheldon returned to his food while the rest of the group sat with quizzical looks on their faces. Sheldon just invited someone new on one of their scheduled outings. Not just a new member but a girl.

The guys walked in to the Comic Book Store, already knowing what they wanted to purchase. Sheldon held the door open for Maria. The store was awfully bright; it almost gave her a headache. She continued inspecting the various pictures along the walls and realized almost the entirety of the store had their eyes on her. Maria huddled closer to Sheldon while he took a slightly protective stance in front of her.

"We've had women in here before. Avert your eyes gentlemen," Sheldon attempted to look menacing. Maria giggled at his scrunched up face and followed him to the racks of comics.

"I'm sorry I didn't find anything I liked," Maria apologized to Sheldon as they walked outside. The slightly cold night air was a relief from the small, stuffy store.

"I didn't expect you to. I simply wanted to spend more time with you." The sentence caught her off guard for a minute; she smiled to herself and quickened her pace to keep up with him.

"You like spending time with me?" she asked, leaning closer to his side.

"Yes, I do. It's not something I'm used to. It's quite new for me."

"You like spending time with your friends, how is this different?"

"I'm not attracted to them."


	3. Chapter 3

**I guess I am updating this unusually fast, but I got excited since some people really liked it. It means a lot to me, especially since I am new to all of this. I don't know how quickly I will update in the future since I only just finished writing Chapter 4, and I get writers block all the time. As I said before, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You. **

* * *

**3**

"Girls night!" Penny shouted and threw up her hands. Bernadette and Penny invited Maria out with them, as they now considered her part of their group. The night consisted of plenty of alcohol at a loud bar, fancy dresses, and secrets to be spilled.

The two veterans of 'girls night' wore tight fitting dresses that accentuated their features enough to get free drinks every now and then. Maria wore a white sundress. They had tried to see if she fit into any of their dresses, but as their body sizes were all a bit different it didn't work out. However, they promised to help her find a more form fitting dresses for future events.

"What do you two usually do on nights like this?" Maria yelled over the blaring music.

"Dance, drink, that's about it," Bernadette explained.

"Oh." Maria looked down at her glass. She wasn't much of a drinker. She sipped lightly while the other two chugged theirs.

"Have you ever had shots before?" Penny asked. Maria shook her head. Penny motioned for a waiter and ordered a round of shots. The tray of little glasses was set down and Maria took one, taking a small sip. "No, honey, you have to down it. That's the whole point." Maria watched the other do and followed their example. Immediately she felt the alcohol spread through her system. It felt fuzzy and warm. Maria shook her head wildly. The alcohol was already taking an effect on her. She downed two more and started giggling hysterically.

"You're a bit of a lightweight aren't you?" Penny laughed.

"No, I take my alcohol well." The slur in Maria's words contradicted her defense.

"You're drunk aren't you? You can't separate your words," Penny said while laughing even harder. Alcohol made everything funnier.

"I am speaking in cursive," Maria started swaying. They continued drinking, which wasn't the greatest idea since none of them could stand up straight anymore. They all decided to take a cab back to Penny's as it seemed safer than continuing their night in the bar.

While sitting in Penny's living room, they had an assortment of vodka and wine surrounding them.

"I have an idea!" Penny gasped. She grabbed Maria's arm tightly. "Tell us something you have never told anyone before." She tried to look serious.

"I have feelings for Sheldon!" she suddenly blurted out. She quickly covered her mouth.

Penny and Bernadette both gave her wide eyed looks. "That is so cute!" Penny screamed.

"Shhh," Maria covered Penny's mouth. "Don't let them hear you." She could hear the guys in the apartment across the hall shouting in victory over their video games.

"Okay, I'll talk quieter," Penny agreed. She thought for a moment. "Can I ask one thing? Why?"

"Why am I attracted to Sheldon?" The girls nodded. "Well, he's nice to me, and he is so enthusiastic. He has a nice smile, and I can't help but feel happy when he gets excited about things, like science or his TV shows. Besides, just the other night he said he was attracted to me."

This caused so much surprise Penny actually had to set her glass down. "Shut. Up. You are telling me that _Sheldon Cooper_ is attracted to you? The man we all considered to be asexual, is well, sexually attracted to you?"

"I don't know about _sexually_," Maria admitted, "but I guess he does find me attractive. Frankly, I'm very flattered."

"You do realize that you are the only girl he has ever said this about," Penny pointed out.

"Well, yes. I've been filled in on his lack of human contact and overall disgust with any idea of intimacy."

"He might not be as disgusted as we thought," Penny raised her eyebrows at Bernadette.

The next morning Penny awoke with a raging headache. However, such things were not as important. Penny was on a mission. She walked over to Sheldon and Leonard's apartment where they were currently arguing over some science thing.

"Can I borrow your milk, I've run out." She actually just needed an excuse to be in the apartment.

"Penny, you really must make more frequent trips to the grocery store," Sheldon lectured.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," she poured a bit of milk into the coffee she brought with her. "So Sheldon, what do you think of Maria so far?"

"She's nice."

"That's it?" she placed the milk back into the fridge.

"Well, she's very hygienic, that is a redeeming quality. I guess she is also fairly intelligent. I recall her telling me she has a Master's degree in photography. She has a well-paying job as a Fine Arts Photographer, so that is good as well."

"Alright, what do you think of her _physically_," she put impact on the last word.

Sheldon thought for a moment. "She's soft."

"Soft? In what way?" she seemed to be squeezing more information out of him, slowly.

"Her hands. When I shook her hand after she first moved in, I noticed how soft it was. I have shaken quite a few hands in my time, unfortunately, but hers was the most pleasant."

"I see. Anything else?"

"Well, I guess she is considered by most standards 'beautiful'."

"Do you think she's beautiful?" This was like pulling teeth!

Sheldon looked deep in thought for a moment. He had the same face as when he is looking at his white board. "Yes," he said after a minute or so.

Penny was internally screaming. "This was a great talk Sheldon," she quickly ran from the apartment, forgetting the coffee on their counter. She raced down to 3B and knocked rapidly on the door.

Maria opened the door, "Stop knocking so much my head-"

"Sheldon thinks you're beautiful!" Penny burst.

Maria shook her head slowly, trying to wake up. "What?"

"I went and talked to Sheldon, and he admitted that he thinks you are beautiful," Penny beamed.

Maria's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes."


	4. Chapter 4

**First off, I would like to thank _ontheledge_ for giving such wonderful reviews! They make me so happy and motivate me to write more, so thank you oh so much for those! I'm not sure when I will post Chapter 5 since this week I will be incredibly busy. Other than that, enjoy Chapter 4. Also, as usual if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**4**

It had been a couple days since Maria had discovered Sheldon thought her to be beautiful. She tried making advances towards him, occasionally brushing against him and trying to be flirtatious, but he appeared oblivious. Either that or he was ignoring her. It was clear to the rest of the group that there was some sort of attraction between the two; it was just a very awkward attraction. Neither of them knew what to do with each other.

It was after dinner one night, when Maria had left to begin her laundry, that Penny confronted Sheldon.

"There is clearly something going on between the two of you. I'll call it chemistry to please the physicist in you, but you need to do something."

"Why me?" he asked, clearly taken aback.

"She doesn't know what to do with you! If she makes the wrong move, her chances with you may be ruined. We all know how you are. If you want to advance your relationship with her, it has to be initiated by you."

Sheldon sighed heavily. He did like Maria, and he did find her attractive. She appreciated his work and he enjoyed being with her as well. It did seem that the most logical step would be to ask her on an outing. "Alright, I will ask her out somewhere. What does she like?"

"Why don't you ask her? It will be your conversation starter!" Penny encouraged him. Sheldon thought about it for a minute, nodding his head and raising his eyebrows as he had a mental conversation with himself. Then he stood up and simply walked out the door. Penny turned to Leonard, "That was actually easier than I thought it would be."

_Knock, knock, knock, _"Maria."

_Knock, knock, knock, _"Maria."

_Knock, knock, knock,_ "Maria."

Maria opened up the door, "That's an interesting knocking pattern. Do you do that all the time?"

"Yes," he stated. "Now, I'm sure you are wondering why I am here. What are your interests?"

"Oh, well…" she thought for a moment, taken slightly aback by his straightforwardness. "Why don't you come sit down and we can discuss it. It's a bit awkward for a doorway conversation."

Sheldon saw the entirety of her apartment for the first time. There was a white couch in the middle of the room, facing the television. She had a small, circular dining table and a well sized kitchen. There was also a desk in the back of the room, with numerous photo albums strewn across it. There was also a hallway that led to her bedroom, or so he assumed.

"What do you think?" she asked, gesturing to her decorating. "It's not full of superheroes but its sufficient right?"

"It's very clean," Sheldon appreciated this greatly. "I also quite like the pictures."

"That's all from work," she said. There were pictures from China, Egypt, France, Italy, Greece, and more. It was breathtaking. "I also have a camera just for friends and family. I keep them in my photo albums," she pointed at the desk. Sheldon walked over to it and saw pictures of people he didn't know, but in a few of them some of the people resembled Maria, so he assumed they were family.

"They look nice," he said.

"My mother was a ballerina, and my father was an architect. They both died a while ago, natural causes."

"I'm sorry." He really was. It made him sad. Maria looked up into his eyes, he had a caring look in his eyes, something she hasn't seen before.

"As I recall, you came here to ask about my interests, yes?" She brought him back to his original intentions.

"Oh, yes. What are your interests? Tell me about yourself."

She invited him to sit with her on the couch. He placed himself on the middle seat, adjusted a bit, and then listened.

"Well, I guess we could start at the beginning. I was born on July 20th in New York. My mother is Ukrainian and French while my father is pure Russian. I am an only child. I have a cat, who is probably sleeping at the moment. She is a Norwegian cat, and I named her Daisy, simply because she just looks like a Daisy to me."

"How can a cat look like a name?" Sheldon became condescending.

"Excuse me; are you here to listen or to correct me?"

"You're right… I apologize. Continue."

"Thank you. I have a Master's Degree in Photography, which you already know. I am currently 25 years old, and I came to Los Angeles because I was tired of living in exotic places like Egypt and China, so I decided to take a bit of a break. I love drinking diet coke, I like skating, ice skating to be exact; oh and I am a vegetarian." She smiled when she finished. Sheldon made a mental note that she liked skating.

"Based on this information, I now need to ask, would you like to go on an outing with me?"

"An outing? As in a 'date'?"

"I guess so. I didn't want to appear too forward if I called it a date."

"I would love to."

Sheldon suddenly felt tightness in his chest. She agreed, now what? "Alright. I will come pick you up tomorrow at promptly 6 o'clock. Dress comfortably, bring a warm jacket, and don't eat."

"I will see you at 6 tomorrow then. Goodnight Sheldon," she opened the door for him.

"Goodnight Maria," he smiled and waved.

Exactly as the clock changed from 5:59 to 6:00, Maria heard the chorus of knocks at her door. She waited for him to finish and let him inside.

"6 on the dot, you are good with time," she complimented.

"Actually I stood outside the door for 15 minutes waiting."

"Oh, Sheldon, you could have let me know, we could have left early."

"But I said I was picking you up at 6, I couldn't have picked you up at 5:45 if I said 6. I stand by my word."

"I see. What are our plans? You told me not to eat, remember."

"Yes, I have an eidetic memory. I am taking you to a _vegetarian_ restaurant."

"Really? How sweet, but you didn't have to go through all that to find one. I'm sure I could find something at any other restaurant you like."

"Yes, but tonight is for you." Maria blushed.

Their dinner was quite lovely, and Maria found the food to be very well prepared, as did Sheldon, though he does prefer some sort of meat in his food. After they finished, Sheldon asked her to park a block from their destination. He then asked her to close her eyes as he led her around. They walked for a couple minutes and Maria could just make out the sound of skates along ice. She smiled but kept her eyes closed.

"Open your eyes." Before her was a public ice skating rink that was dimly lit from the string of lights wrapped around the surrounding trees. It was actually quite a romantic setting. Sheldon handed her a pair of skates. She slid across the ice, remembering how she loved the sound of it scraping against the blades. Then she realized Sheldon was not with her. He stood outside the rink. Maria slid over to him.

"Why aren't you skating?"

"I don't know how."

"I'll help you. Get in here, this is a date remember? You can't let your date skate by herself."

"Oh dear, you are right. Okay, give me a minute." He returned a couple minutes later and slowly made his way onto the rink, clinging to the metal bar around the rink.

"It's not as scary as you think," Maria said. "Watch," she then proceeded to glide across the ice, occasionally making shapes in the ice, making gestures with her hands, and once or twice, spinning in the air. Sheldon found her incredibly graceful and enjoyed watching her. She seemed so at peace with everything, and had a large smile on her face. "See?" she asked when she returned.

"I can't do that," he shook his head.

"Well, no. But, we can just skate in circles together. I'll hold onto you." She pried his fingers off of the cold metal bar and he quickly wrapped his arms around her. "Just do what I do," she instructed him. He mimicked her feet and eventually they were moving together around the rink, he still held her as tightly as possible. The amount of people on the rink slowly decreased until it was only Sheldon and Maria, still circling around the rink. Maria would have liked to stay there forever, but eventually the rink had to be closed and they were forced to leave.

"That was wonderful!" Maria exclaimed when they returned to her apartment.

"I am glad you liked it." The two simply stood outside her door in silence for a few moments. Sheldon spoke up, "Being as this was a date, social protocol dictates that I send you off with a 'goodnight kiss.' How would you like to proceed?"

"Oh," again his straightforwardness took her back for a moment. "Sheldon, you don't have to kiss me if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I appreciate that, but I have to follow through with the social protocol. It is required." The silence returned but it was now very awkward. Sheldon waited another moment, and then leaned towards her. Maria stood as still as possible, waiting for him to initiate the kiss he was so insistent on giving her. The only sound was that of their breathing, and then Sheldon lightly pecked her on the corner of her mouth. He then nodded, turned, and walked up the stairs.

_Was that even a kiss?_ Maria wondered. With a twinge of disappointment in her, she unlocked the door to her apartment.


	5. Chapter 5

**Feel free to ask questions, however I won't reveal the ending, that would be spoilers. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**5**

It was Saturday morning, so Sheldon was in his spot with his breakfast, watching Doctor Who, when Penny stormed in.

"I have a bone to pick with you," she stood in front of the T.V, blocking his view.

Sheldon leaned to the severe left, trying to continue watching his show. It was quite gripping; there appeared to be something horribly wrong with the water on Mars in the year 2059. "Excuse me, but there is no way for me to watch this when you are standing in my way." Penny grabbed the remote and shut off the television. Sheldon raised an eyebrow, "That was rude."

"No, what was rude was not kissing Maria after your date! You are the man who lives by 'social protocol', and yet you couldn't even give her a proper kiss."

"I beg to differ. I did kiss her. My mouth came in contact with her face, therefore you are disproved."

"Barely, it barely came in contact. I would compare it to if an elderly neighbor gave you a peck on the cheek for helping her carry her groceries. Please, for the sake of all that is holy, make it up to her. You may not realize it, but she really likes you."

This caught him off guard. "She does?" It was practically a whisper.

"Yes. I don't want you to lose a chance with a beautiful woman who can actually break through this hard exterior you put up. We all think she is very special, and I know somewhere deep in that robotic mind of yours, you do too."

"What should I do, Penny?" It appears that for one of the first times, Sheldon Cooper is at a loss.

"Ask her on another date. The other day she was telling me that she would love to go to that bookstore right across the street from the Cheesecake Factory. Take her there!"

"Alright, I'll do it." Sheldon sounded unsure, even to himself, but he owed it to Penny, Maria, and himself to give Maria the kiss she deserves; even he was looking forward to it.

Sheldon spent a couple of days looking on the internet for ways to make this date better than the last. Though it is hard to outdo a date like ice skating, he was going to try. He had made a list of all the things he wanted to include in the date, and even made a PowerPoint that he presented to the group for their input on the matter. Penny gave him a few pointers on what to do and what not to do, and eventually, Sheldon was ready.

This date had a lot more riding on it. It would overall define whether or not Sheldon and Maria stayed friendly neighbors or decided to become something more intimate. The idea terrified Sheldon but at the same time, he honestly did want something more out of their relationship. He has never felt this way before. What was this woman doing to him?

It was around 7 o'clock when Sheldon knocked on Maria's door. He heard her footsteps pattering on her wood floor and the door swung open.

"Oh, hello Sheldon," Maria greeted him. He hadn't spoken to her in days and she had started to wonder if she had done something on their date that set him off.

"Good evening. I would like to propose that we go on a second date together. It has been made clear to me that the ending of our last date was not appropriate and I would like to make it up to you."

"Tonight?"

"That was what I was hoping for."

"That's a bit of short notice," she said, attempting to smooth out her wild hair and straighten her clothes. She didn't have anything to do today so she had opted to stay home and overall…do nothing. She didn't exactly look presentable at the moment. "Can you give me an hour and a half to make myself decent?"

"I suppose that is an appropriate request. I will be back at 8:30."

Once he had left, Maria made a dash for her restroom. She showered quickly, put on makeup, and dried her hair. She flitted to her closet and found the dress that Penny and Bernadette had helped her find after their last 'girls night'. It was a lacy, apricot colored dress that came down right above her knees. It wasn't as revealing as the other girls had wanted, but it wasn't as modest as her other dresses either. She still had 45 minutes to spare so she decided to brush her teeth in hopes that it would make Sheldon more willing to kiss her if her mouth was properly hygienic. Now there was 40 minutes… She decided to call Sheldon and tell him that she was ready.

It only took a minute or so when she heard Sheldon's traditional nine knocks followed by her name at the door.

"So, where are we going?" she asked while grabbing her keys to unlock her car.

"Actually, I was hoping we could walk, it's a nice temperature, and I have been informed that it is considered romantic to walk together on dates," Sheldon informed her.

Maria looked down at the heels she was wearing. "Alright," she agreed, hoping it wouldn't be a long walk.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be longer than she had expected, but it turned out to be worth it in the end when they arrived at the bookstore she had been so desperate to go to.

"Sheldon, how did you know?" she asked excitedly.

"I have my sources. Consider me an encyclopedia."

Maria laughed while Sheldon held the door open for her. _Whoever taught him to be chivalrous taught him well,_ she thought as she walked inside. The store was huge and had multiple floors. As an avid reader, Maria was quite stunned.

"Aren't we a bit overdressed for a bookstore?" she asked, looking at her dress and his suit with suspenders and a bowtie.

"Possibly, but it is a date, and it is customary to dress nice for a date."

Sheldon watched as Maria walked around, admiring the shelves and touching all the bindings on the books. He decided she was distracted enough that he slipped away into a different area of the store. Eventually he found exactly what he was looking for: books on romance. However, all the books were works of steamy fiction rather than educational books as he had hoped. He did flip through a majority of them though. In the books the women seemed to be entranced by muscular men that took sexual dominance over them. The whole ordeal made Sheldon become red and uncomfortable. He decided to look elsewhere for his information; when he turned up blank, he asked an employee and they took him to an area of nonfiction listed _Sex and Romance_. It appears that he was not going to escape from the aspect of coitus in his search.

Luckily for Sheldon, his ability to read faster than most proved helpful. He was able to read the books quickly and get what he could without staring at them for too long. He learned a lot in his quest, mostly on sex but also on how to woo a woman and what to do in order to romance her. Eventually he found his way back to Maria, who was flipping through a section of graphic novels.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Oh, nothing." She quickly set the book down.

"Did you find anything you wanted?" he asked. She pulled out a mass of books she had been holding in her other arm. Sheldon was impressed by the different range of genres she had managed to find. Originally she had planned on paying for them herself, but Sheldon insisted on buying them for her, as it was social protocol for him to pay for things on a date. Maria didn't approve of this and they had a small argument in the store. They weren't angry with each other; they were simply headstrong and stubborn.

In the end they both paid for half of the merchandise, and then began their walk home. Maria's feet were aching to rest and they had quite a long walk back, but she didn't say anything. However she was having difficulties keeping up with Sheldon's long strides.

They had a couple blocks to go until they were at the apartments when Sheldon turned back to see Maria quickly waddling towards him to keep up. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

"Your feet hurt don't they?"

"No…" She didn't want to admit defeat. "Besides, the quicker we walk, the quicker we are home, come on." She resumed her waddling while Sheldon shook his head.

"You can barely walk at a normal pace, how do you expect to walk any faster?"

"Well," Maria placed her hands on her hips, "what do you want me to do Sheldon?"

Sheldon thought about it for a minute. She obviously needed to get home quickly, he could already see blisters forming on the back of her feet. Sheldon closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment, preparing himself for what he was about to do. He then opened his eyes and swept Maria into his arms, carrying her.

"What are you doing?" she yelled, startled.

"You need to get home, you chose the wrong footwear. Now hush." He had never carried a woman before, but he liked the way she fit in his arms. He looked her straight in the eyes, "Tell no one of this." She giggled and nodded. When they made it to the apartment she insisted on being put down, but he countered her argument, saying that it would do her no good to walk up the stairs in those heels. She could have taken her shoes off and walked herself but she decided she would rather stay in his arms.

At the door of her apartment he set her down gently. She unlocked the door and was prepared to say goodnight when he simply strode inside.

"Where do you keep your first aide equipment?" he asked, wandering the halls of her apartment.

"In the cabinet above the sink, why?"

He returned with a first aid box, "Your feet are bleeding. Sit down."

She looked down at her feet and saw the impact the shoes had made. She sat down and started to undo the buckle on her shoes when Sheldon swatted her hands away. He had taken off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Gently, he removed her shoes and placed them on the floor, and then he took a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol and pressed it against her foot. She flinched when the alcohol stung, but he kept a firm hold on her ankle. He then repeated the action on the other foot with a fresh cotton swab, and continued to apply a wide bandage over the torn skin.

"Thank you," she whispered. It was one of the nicest things a man had ever done for her. Sheldon returned the first aid to the cabinet and placed her shoes in her closet.

"Did you enjoy your evening?" he asked, straightening the collar on his shirt. He was nervous, she could tell.

"Of course I did." He nodded, cleared his throat, swallowed, and fiddled with his fingers. He had no idea how to proceed, but he definitely didn't want Penny on his case again. He was overthinking. He had started to hyperventilate when Maria suddenly pressed her lips against his, catching him entirely off guard. His eyes were wide open but when he felt her deepen their embrace he closed them. She pulled away and looked up at him, "See, it wasn't that hard."

"It was nice," his voice was a bit low and slightly hoarse. He leaned in and began another kiss, this time opening his mouth slightly to test the waters. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and assumed it was a positive response to what he was doing. He lightly rested his hands on her waist and let her continue to initiate how she wanted the kiss to go. It continued for a few more moments before he had to pull away, he needed air.

She smiled up at him, and he could have sworn there was the slightest twinkle in her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**So I went back to Chapter 1 and changed it from 1 year to 2 since I realized I wanted to include more things and that only one year seemed too little of time. I'm really happy everyone likes the story so much, it makes me immensely happy! Also, I realized that I never described what Maria looks like. So, I will just say now that I envision her to look like Natalie Wood. I would go back and give some description but I just find her so beautiful that I don't want to butcher that with my inability to describe her. I can't find the right words for how lovely I think she is. If anyone wants any reference, I would say look at Splendor in the Grass, West Side Story, or Love with the Proper Stranger. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**6**

The minute Sheldon left Maria's apartment, she grabbed her phone and called Penny. Maria sat on her couch while the phone rang, bouncing impatiently.

"Hello?"

"Sheldon kissed me," she practically yelled into the phone. She couldn't contain her excitement and screamed into a nearby pillow.

"Are you kidding me? How on Earth did you get him to do that?"

"I don't know… I don't think I did anything. Well I mean, I did kiss him first, but he kissed back! That's completely new for him, right?"

"Sweetie, I am so happy for you. I really am. I just want to warn you not to go too quickly with him. I don't want him to freak out on you."

"Noted, thank you."

"If you don't mind my asking, are you officially considered a couple now?"

"I hadn't even thought about it. I'd ask Sheldon but I don't want to push it."

"I can take care of that."

Maria laughed, "You will always be there to give him that extra shove he needs won't you?"

"Why yes, yes I will."

A couple of days had passed while Penny plotted on how to get Sheldon to confirm his relationship with Maria. On one hand, she wanted it to happen soon, for her own and Maria's sake. However, she realized it would turn out better for Sheldon if it appears he 'realized it on his own'. That way he wouldn't drop into a relationship he wasn't ready for. Things like this took time to think about.

Over the course of these days, the small group realized Sheldon was becoming a bit different. He was still very territorial, especially about his spot, but he appeared less disgusted by human contact. The men of the group hadn't been alerted on the alleged kiss that had occurred, so watching Maria rest her head on Sheldon's shoulder and him not even so much as flinching was big news for them. Their eyes almost shot out of their heads when he took her hand in his.

After having a lovely dinner of Thai food one night, Maria had left to do laundry and Penny found this her opportunity to confront Sheldon.

"You and Maria have become awfully close haven't you?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Why?"

"Oh nothing, it just looks like you two really like each other. Maybe even as though you two are in a relationship," she hinted.

Sheldon was quiet for a moment. "I had considered it. Penny, you seem to be an expert in things like this: do you think I should ask her to be my girlfriend?"

"First off I would like to thank you for calling me an expert in something not involving sex, second, yes I think that is a perfect idea."

"Alright then, I better get started typing up our relationship agreement."

"No, no, Sheldon… Please don't write a 'relationship agreement.' Why don't you just do this the normal way and let everything be spontaneous? I'm sure Maria would find it a lot more romantic and appealing if she didn't have to sign a document to be allowed to kiss you in public or be forced to tend to your every need. She's not your roommate."

"I see your point. Now, if you excuse me, I am off to the laundry room to make Maria my girlfriend."

Leonard appeared in the hallway. "What was that all about?

"Our little Sheldon is growing up," Penny smiled.

Sheldon came into the laundry room just as Maria was closing the washer. She had changed since dinner and was now wearing some very _revealing_ shorts. He violently shook the mental images out of his head and proceeded towards her.

Maria turned when she heard his footsteps. "Sheldon, this isn't Saturday, what are you doing down here?"

"I would like to propose that we make a change in our current relationship status."

Maria tried to keep from smiling; she knew what was coming next. "How so?" she asked and hopped on top of the washer and dryer.

"Maria," he said, stepping closer and gently taking her hand in his, "will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes," she said, running her thumb along the back of his hand. Since Maria was now at eyelevel with him from sitting atop the washing machine, she rested her forehead against his, and the entire world seemed to stop around them. They were rudely interrupted by a sudden flash and the couple turned to see Penny holding one of the camera's from Maria's apartment.

"Hey, where did you get that?" Maria asked, only slightly upset by the interruption.

"You gave me the emergency key to your apartment remember? Plus I thought this moment needed to be documented so I snuck down here," Penny explained.

"You're lucky that camera is empty. Well, was empty." Maria leaped off the washing machine and swept over to Penny to see the picture.

"Awe, see that's an adorable picture," Penny complimented.

"You're right. You know what; I think I'll use this camera for things like this. I'll document all my best moments with some of my favorite people. I guess I owe you a 'thank you' Penny."

"You are very welcome," she said and snapped another picture.

The next day during dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, Maria and Sheldon announced their relationship to the rest of the group. Penny brought over a bottle of wine (and sparkling cider for Sheldon) to celebrate.

"I can honestly say, I'm very proud of you Sheldon. This is a huge accomplishment," Leonard applauded his friends.

"Thank you."

"I guess it turns out you aren't asexual after all," Howard joked, and was quickly reprimanded by Bernadette.

"I didn't know you were under the assumption I was."

"We all had different theories, which you have managed to disprove tonight," Leonard explained.

Maria took Sheldon's hand and smiled up at him. She hadn't been able to stop smiling since the previous night, and was positive she wouldn't for a long time.


	7. Chapter 7

**This is kind of just a fillibuster of a chapter...**

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**7**

About a month had gone by since Sheldon and Maria had started their relationship. In that time, many dates had occurred and many pictures had been taken. Maria took her camera with her everywhere. She wanted tons of pictures with Sheldon, in case there is ever a time where she is without him, she wants to remember it all; though she hopes a day like that will never come.

One night in particular, she had been in Sheldon's apartment and Penny had been shooting numerous pictures of everyone. In one particular, Maria and Sheldon were holding hands and she was laughing at something one of them had said, and Penny caught it just at the right time. Her head was thrown back and Sheldon was looking at her in complete awe. It was a special picture to her: for the first time she saw Sheldon looking at her the way he looks at equations, with wonderment and adoration.

* * *

_Knock knock knock, _"Penny."

_Knock knock knock,_ "Penny."

_Knock knock knock,_ "Penny."

"I have a problem," Sheldon said as soon as the door opened.

"What's wrong?" Penny looked Sheldon over, he was shaking.

"I'm having thoughts… Thoughts I'm not used to having."

Penny sat for a moment, "Sweetie, I'm going to need more information than that."

"Impure thoughts! About Maria."

Penny stifled her laughter. "That is completely normal. She is your girlfriend."

"So you don't think it's a problem?"

"No, but if you think it's a problem, maybe you should fix it." She had to be delicate with subjects like this, but she hoped to be pushing him in a _certain_ direction.

"I don't understand…"

Penny sighed and placed her hand on Sheldon's shoulder. "Well, first tell me what kind of impure thoughts you are having."

"I can't tell you that! Besides, this is your entire fault. You bought me that book and now it's got me thinking."

"Well then I'm sorry I can't help you. This is your 'problem'."

"Oh dear. I've worried about this."

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Penny asked Maria later that day.

"Of course."

"Have you ever thought about being _intimate_ with Sheldon?"

Maria laughed, "When haven't I thought about it?"

Penny's eyes widened, "Seriously?"

"Yes! I mean, think about it: have you ever noticed how much concentration he puts into his equations, or his desperate need to master every subject?"

"Okay that is way more information than I was asking for."

"Sorry," Maria apologized and giggled. "I don't expect it to happen anytime soon though. I mean the most we've done is kiss."

_I wouldn't be so sure. _Penny thought to herself.

* * *

"I'm very upset," Sheldon stated while he and Leonard climbed the stairs to their apartment.

"I know Sheldon, you've mentioned it several times today, but I'm sorry to inform you, you have to go."

"These events are tedious. I will not be pranced around like a prized animal just for the University to gain some money. It's not even going to my department, it's all for the _geology department_" he cringed.

"No, but if you don't go, it will only make you look bad. Nowadays careers are all about status quo, and it would be good for your job for you to go."

"I guess you're right."

"I have a suggestion, take Maria as a date. Maybe she can talk you up to some of the important guys. I'm bringing Penny."

"You're using your girlfriend to flirt and gain higher status with your employers? I consider that to be quite low of you Leonard."

"Well that, plus she looks great in her dress. Besides, it was her idea."

Maria sprinted from her bedroom when she heard Sheldon's nine knocks at her door. "Hello," she greeted him and lightly kissed him.

"Hello. I was hoping you would accompany me to my Universities tedious yearly events in order to gain money."

"That's quite an introduction. Is it formal?"

"Yes. Leonard pointed out that I could have you talk me up to some of the important people."

"You're using me to increase your stature at work?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Well, that's what I was hoping. Plus, you would look stunning in a dress," he said, using Leonard's choice of words.

Maria looked up in to his pleading eyes, oh how could she say no to those? "Alright, when is it?"

"This Saturday, please be ready by 5:30." He kissed her forehead and left. Damn him and his quirky charms.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for all the new reviews and pm's! Everyone has been so nice and encouraging and that means the world to me. I wasn't 100% sure on what to do in this Chapter so I just kind of drabbled a bit... **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**8**

Sheldon was pacing around Maria's apartment. The rest of the men were waiting with him for their female counterparts as well. Raj, unfortunately, was without a date. Maria had offered to set him up with one of her friends, but he politely declined, whispering in Howard's ear that he thought it best he didn't drink too much alcohol tonight.

The girls were frantically running around Maria's bedroom with curling irons, powder and other assortments flying everywhere. It may just be a banquet for their boyfriend's university but it was a chance to dress up. What woman wouldn't pass an opportunity for that?

"How long does it take 3 women to put on dresses and get out the door?" Sheldon complained.

"It's not just putting on their dress," Raj explained. "They have to do their hair, makeup, jewelry. It's an art."

A door clicked and the three women emerged, each looking stunning in their own way. Penny had on a green, form fitting dress that showed a decent amount but was elegant none the less. Bernadette was wearing a black dress that came down a bit below her knees and had a wide, lacy band around her shoulders. Maria was the last to come out, being as she had to search in her closet for flat shoes. Her dress was long and dark brown with layers that appeared to be intertwining together. Every man in that room knew how lucky they were to have such beautiful women.

Sheldon's breath hitched in his throat when Maria had come out of the hallway. "You look wonderful," he finally managed to choke out.

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself," she tapped him playfully on the nose. He was wearing a black suit, much nicer than the plaid one she usually saw him in. "You will also be happy to hear that I am not wearing heels, so there will be no need for cotton swabs and bandages tonight."

"Your feet will thank you greatly," he said while taking her arm in his.

* * *

"Doctor Cooper, I am pleased you made it tonight," one of the donors for the University greeted Sheldon. They held out their hand and Sheldon declined until Maria gently poked him in the side with her elbow and he reluctantly shook their hand.

"What did you do that for?" he asked.

"These people are donating money to your University, it may not be for your department now but it would do good to be polite to anyone who is willing to give money."

"Ah, good thinking. I will need more baby wipes if I am shaking this many hands." Maria produced a small package of baby wipes and handed them to him. "You know me so well."

The rest of the night went smoothly, with Maria occasionally mentioning Sheldon's accomplishments in his field and impressing a few of the donors. When she looked up at Sheldon, she could tell in his eyes he was saying _Thank You._

* * *

"That was one of the longest events of my life," Sheldon complained as the couple climbed the stairs.

"You are over exaggerating. I think it was very enjoyable. Plus, my feet don't hurt this time. I think we all won tonight."

"You are very optimistic Miss Clover," Sheldon said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I try to be." They were at her door now. "It's still fairly early," she said, treading cautiously. "I have chamomile tea if you would like any."

"That sounds nice," he said and they entered the apartment. "You know, I've been thinking a lot lately," he said, removing his jacket and tie.

"Thinking? That's never good," Maria joked.

He gave a breathy laugh before proceeding. "I have come to realize that we are very compatible together, and we certainly hold a strong level of attraction to each other. It has also been pointed out to me that after being a couple for a certain amount of time, carnal activities tends to take place eventually."

"I'm starting to get a sense of where you are going with this Sheldon…" Maria said while handing him his tea.

"Really, oh good; I had hoped I wouldn't have to explain further."

"Are you really thinking about this?" she asked.

"I have thought about it more times than I can say." This was entirely new for him. Before Maria came into his life, he would never so much as give a woman a second glance, let alone think about her in such ways. But there was something about her that made him rethink everything he knew about intimacy entirely.

"Are you implying you would like this to take place tonight," Maria asked, her hands shaking slightly.

"Yes," he whispered.

* * *

Maria rolled over to find Sheldon right beside her. Suddenly the events from the previous night flooded back to her. She smiled to herself and wrapped her arms around his stomach. Once she had gotten him to stop talking in such scientific terms, they had quite an amazing night together.

Maria rose and dressed quickly. She then went into the kitchen and set out a bowl of cereal she hoped would have enough fiber for Sheldon to be willing to eat. She knew he loved watching Doctor Who in the mornings, so she searched until she found a repeat episode.

"Sheldon," she said, lightly shaking him. He mumbled but didn't awake. She shook him a bit harder and he suddenly shot up.

"Danger!" he shouted.

"No, no danger. Just me," she said laughing. "I set out breakfast for you and there is a repeat episode of Doctor Who on in the living room."

"You are perfect," he said and got up.

_ Perfect,_ the word rang in her ear. It bothered her.


	9. Chapter 9

**This one is pretty short. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

**9**

"That was a lovely meal," Sheldon complimented Maria after she had offered to make dinner for him. "You really are the perfect girlfriend."

There was that word again. Maria felt tightness in her chest, but not a happy one, an angry one. "Please stop calling me that," she pleaded.

"Why should I? You are perfect."

"Stop saying that! You don't realize what that does to me," she was getting close to screaming now.

"I don't understand."

"You're giving me an expectation I can't live up to. You're putting me on a pedestal. It puts an immense amount of stress on me. Please try to understand."

"That is ridiculous, you are perfect."

Maria was close to tears now. "No, I'm not. Please stop."

"You are taking away the simple pleasure of letting me express my feelings for my girlfriend?" Sheldon asked, stunned.

Maria simply shook her head and left for her bedroom. Sheldon still didn't realize what he had done wrong.

* * *

"You can't say things like that Sheldon," Penny reprimanded. "She's afraid to make a mistake in front of you. You are having an illusion of her. Do you realize that?"

"I have no illusion of her. I see her as she is. She is beautiful and she knows exactly how to take care of me and what to say."

"That's because you've never seen her mess up before. What happens when she makes a mistake on something?"

"I'll accept her for it."

"Really? You of all people would just accept something like that. Sheldon, I've lived across from you for almost 4 years now, and I can say that anytime any one of us screwed something up, you were the first to lecture us on it."

Sheldon was silent now. He realized that if Maria ever really did make a huge mistake, or possibly even a small one, would he be able to hold himself back from correcting her?

* * *

_Knock knock knock, _"Maria."

_Knock knock knock, _"Maria."

_Knock knock knock, _"Maria."

Slowly, the door opened, and Sheldon could tell Maria had been crying. "I'm sorry." She nodded and wrapped her arms around him. "I will never do that to you again."

* * *

It was around 2 am when Maria suddenly leaped out of her bed and into the restroom. After regurgitating what she thought was her entire digestive system, she rested her head on the side of her shower. _What did I eat last night?_ She wondered. When it happened for a second time Maria started to become worried. Around 11 am she called Penny.

"Are you experiencing any food poisoning from dinner last night?" she asked.

"…No. Why, are you alright?"

"Just a bit sick, that's all."

Maria also checked with both Leonard and Sheldon, and neither of them seemed to have any problems either. She tried thinking of anything else she had eaten the previous day but couldn't come up with anything specific. After dinner that night, the group was gathered in 4A, watching TV, when a commercial came on. It was a commercial for a car, but Maria started crying. She got some weird looks from her friends. Penny was starting to get suspicious. Maria was having sickness and she was incredibly emotional. She had an assumption but stuck it in the back of her mind.

"Penny, it won't go away. I keep getting sick in the early hours of the morning, and I'm emotional and my hormones are everywhere. I'm really worried."

"Okay sweetie, I'm going to give you a suggestion and please don't freak out on me. Have you tried taking a pregnancy test?" she asked.

"No… Do you think I should?"

"Well, there's no harm in trying."

Maria sat in her bathroom, staring at the seven or so test she had taken. Each one had turned up positive. She looked at the back of the box again, making sure she was reading it right. Yep, two blue lines. She placed her hand over her stomach. "Hello," she said to the tiny being that was now inside her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for being gone for a few days! I just felt like my writing quality was really starting to deteriorate in some of my recent chapters so I felt I needed a break so I could go back to writing decently. Maybe it's just me, we are our own worst critics. Anyway, here is the long awaited Chapter 10. I was debating on whether or not to have the event that happens at the end to actually happen, and then went through with it anyway. I don't want to be too stereotypical though, so hopefully that is not the case. Also, I realize Howard might seem kind of out of character since he's being nice and supportive, but I've never liked the rivalry between him and Sheldon in the show, so I kind of changed that in this story. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank you.**

* * *

**10**

"Should I tell Sheldon?" Maria asked Penny and Bernadette on that week's girl's night.

"Well, of course. He's going to notice at some point," Penny pointed out.

"He'll hate me for it. I just know it."

Penny stopped Maria from her persistent pacing around her apartment. "Look, Sheldon may not be the most compassionate person, but I am sure he will still love you if you tell him. It is his baby after all."

* * *

"Sheldon, we need to talk." Maria sat next to him, taking his hands in hers

"You look upset. Is everything alright?" he asked, placing the back of his hand on her forehead, checking her pulse, etc.

"Yes, yes. Well… sort of. I have some news, and I want you to know, if you decide you don't want to continue our relationship because of this, I accept that completely." Sheldon looked visibly worried. Maria took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant." Maria watched as Sheldon stuttered, hyperventilated, and then blacked out.

"Sheldon?" He heard his name being called. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw his girlfriend hovering over him. He shot up. "What happened?"

"You blacked out…after I told you I was pregnant."

He scoffed, "You can't be pregnant. We were only intimate one time."

"That's all it takes," she said.

"This is unbelievable," he muttered. He had hoped to someday pass on his genius genetics to a spawn someday, but he had planned on it being done through a petri dish and a surrogate womb. He had never thought of it this way. It scared him, but at the same time, he was suddenly excited. "We're having a baby," he whispered.

"Our baby," she took his face in her hands. When she looked at him like that, he couldn't help but smile.

* * *

When the couple announced their pregnancy to the rest of the group, Maria half expected them to faint as Sheldon had. But instead they were congratulated and celebrated, much to Maria's relief. Already people started throwing out baby names to them, and offering to get some hand me downs from relatives or cribs, and they even tried to convince Sheldon to find a place for a nursery in his apartment.

"That is all very generous of you," Maria told them, "however I don't think I am ready for all that yet. But I'm glad you are all excited." Everyone was on a baby high. This was entirely new and exciting for all of them. They had all anticipated that one day a baby would be brought into the group. However, they never expected it to be Sheldon's.

* * *

Sheldon had started to think in depth on the fact that there was now a tiny human growing inside of his girlfriend. A human he would one day call 'son' or 'daughter'. He began envisioning life as a family with Maria. He would come home after a day of work with his child and wife there to greet him. _Oh wait…wife?_ Sheldon hadn't even thought about proposing to Maria. They were having a baby together and the thought of marriage hadn't even come into his mind until now. _Should I propose?_ He thought. They did seem to be doing things out of order. Typically the baby would come after the marriage. Sheldon pulled up a word document on his computer and began listing pros and cons of proposing and marriage. It would be beneficial to the baby to have a married couple for parents wouldn't it? His mother would take the news better if they were at least planning on being married. Maybe he could hold off on telling her about the baby until after the wedding. He hasn't even proposed yet and he is already thinking about what will happen _after_ the wedding. His mind did get ahead of him at times. This was becoming too much.

"Leonard?" Sheldon called.

"Everything alright?" Leonard asked as he emerged from the hallway.

"No, it is not even close to alright. Leonard, I'm having a baby; and it has come to mind that Maria and I are not wed. I don't want to be too traditional about this, but do you think I should propose?"

"Well, let me ask you something. Are you doing this because you love Maria and want to marry her, or are you doing this because you feel guilty for having a baby out of wedlock?"

Sheldon's brow furrowed as he thought about it. He then turned back to his computer and made up another word document, listing reasons he thinks he and Maria should marry. Does he love her? The only times Sheldon has admitted to loving something was in the case of his mother, or science. Did Maria fall into this category as well? He did respect her job, and he liked her cooking and she never made fun of him or complained if she didn't understand what he was saying. She had little quirks that he had always found charming, like how when she cleans her apartment, she'll reenact Broadway shows, or the way her forehead crinkles when she's deep in thought. He also noticed that after they started dating she had begun to attempt to read comic books. He knew she didn't particularly care for them, but she did it because she cared for him. And suddenly, Sheldon felt a warm feeling spreading through his veins. He loves her.

* * *

Sheldon was at work the next day when he stopped by Howard's lab, a place he did not venture often except in desperate measures.

"Howard, I recall you once tell me about a machine you have that can make diamonds out of hair, and therefore the diamond would have one's DNA in it."

"Yes, it's in the back room. Why?"

"Is there any chance you would be willing to create one of those for me?"

"I guess. Whose DNA are you planning on using?"

"Maria's."

"Ah okay- Wait… Are you making an _engagement_ ring?"

"Yes."

"You're proposing to Maria? That's wonderful! How big do you want the diamond to be?"

"How big are most diamonds on engagement rings?"

"It depends on how much you spend. Here, if you get me a sufficient amount of her hair, I can make two different sizes and you can choose? Do you think you can get it to me by the end of this week?"

"I will work with my best efforts."

* * *

Sheldon was in Maria's apartment while she was organizing pictures from the camera they had been using. She found an empty brown photo album and was writing the date on the back of each picture and placing them in the plastic seals when Sheldon started running his fingers through her hair.

"Have you thought about cutting your hair?" He asked.

"Not particularly. Why?" She asked while scribbling a date on the back of a picture.

"I think it would look nice. Maybe just an inch or so off, not too drastic is it?"

"I think it's okay at the moment Sheldon."

"Well… I read somewhere that if you cut off the ends, it will make it…" he searched his brain for a convincing word, "healthier?"

"You seem really insistent on this. I guess I could cut a little bit off. I'll make an appointment for next week."

"Actually, I think Penny could do it. In fact, I bet she could do it right now. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and led her upstairs.

After the traditional nine knocks, Penny opened her door.

"I need you to cut her hair, right now." Sheldon demanded.

"He's being ridiculous," Maria insisted.

"Sheldon, are you sure it can't wait?" Penny asked. Sheldon sighed and pulled Penny into the apartment, telling Maria to stay outside. He then explained his plan to her and shushed her after she squealed happily. The door reopened. "Come in Maria, we're cutting your hair whether you like it or not."

Sheldon eventually got the hair to Howard, and the rings were made. In the end he decided on the smaller diamond, thinking the bigger one was too 'Hollywood'.

* * *

He now had everything he needed, and had alerted the rest of the group on his plans as well. He invited Maria out for the evening and asked Penny to help her get ready. Maria was suspicious but when it came to Sheldon, she never knew what to expect. Sheldon had Penny drive him and Maria to an elegant restaurant, and afterwards _Sheldon led Maria a couple blocks down before they stopped at their destination. _

"Thank you for wearing comfortable shoes," Sheldon told her, "and for using the Doctor Scholl's gels I gave you as well."

"Of course. Sheldon, where are we?" She still didn't know the downtown area of Pasadena very well.

"We are at the theater, where they are currently showing a production of the ballet _ Le Sacre du Printemps_ (The Rite of Spring), which I remember you telling me, is your favorite."

Maria placed a hand over her mouth and almost started crying. It was her favorite. She remembers seeing her mother perform it in her youth, and loving how graceful and beautiful she looked. "This is the most wonderful gift anyone has ever given me," she said and spontaneously kissed him.

Their seats were amazing, and Maria was in complete awe of the dancers and the way they moved. She absolutely adored it.

When the show was finished, Maria and Sheldon were standing outside the theater when she started dancing like the ballet dancers had in the show. She knew a majority of the choreography as her mother had taught her when she was young. Sheldon loved watching her dance, the same way he loved watching her skate. She seemed so happy and at peace with the world. He walked over to her and lifted her up in the air, mimicking what the actors had done on stage. Maria giggled as he placed her back down.

"This has been the most wonderful night of my life!" she exclaimed.

"I'm glad. Now, there is something very important I want to ask you," he said, having her sit down on a bench right outside the theater doors. "Maria Clover, I haven't known you for very long, but one does not need to know someone for long to know they are in love. You have opened me to an entirely new world that scared me at the beginning, but now is something I embrace. You are beautiful and always will be, even when you are 90. I could not have asked for a better person in my life, and I would like to share every moment I have, from here on out, with you. Maria, will you marry me?"

Tears were running down Maria's face as Sheldon produced a diamond ring from his suit pocket. "Yes."


	11. Chapter 11

**This is kind of another fillibuster chapter. Oh, and for the baby names, Anton is from West Side Story (I thought it fit since Maria is also from West Side Story and Natalie Wood was in West Side Story) and Rose is from Doctor Who and Sierra is from my idol Sierra Boggess. Seriously she has the voice of an angel. **

**I own nothing except the OC character. Thank You.**

* * *

**11**

"Are you ready for your first ultrasound?" Penny asked as she drove Maria and Sheldon to the hospital.

"I'm excited and nervous. Today I get the first look at my baby…sorry, our baby," she reached up from the back seat and grabbed Sheldon's hand.

"What about you Sheldon," Penny asked, "are you excited?"

"Surprisingly, I am."

At the hospital they were lead into a dark room where a male doctor squirted the blue gel onto Maria's lower abdomen and used the wand until a black and gray picture showed up on the screen. Sheldon didn't like that the doctor was male or that he had Maria's pants pulled so low, but he knew enough about the female system to know that the uterus was fairly far down. It still bothered him though.

The doctor pointed out the small speck that was their baby and Maria held Sheldon's hand, looking up into his eyes as they shared this special moment together. Penny grabbed the camera from her purse and took a picture of the two.

"Ma'am, there is no photography in the ultrasound room." The doctor was annoyed.

"Sorry," she apologized.

* * *

They printed pictures of the ultrasound and brought it to dinner to show the rest of their friends.

"Wow, before you know it, you two will be parents," Leonard marveled as he passed the picture back to Maria and Sheldon.

"It's so surreal, I keep thinking it's a dream," Maria admitted.

"Have you thought of any baby names yet?" Bernadette asked.

"Well, Sheldon wants to name the baby Spock if it's a boy and Uhura if it's a girl. I like the name Anton for a boy, and either Rose or Sierra for a girl."

"I like those," Bernadette told her.

"I still think Spock would fit perfectly, since the baby will obviously have my genius in his genetics." Sheldon mumbled. Maria just rolled her eyes.

* * *

Preparations for Maria and Sheldon's wedding began. Maria asked both Penny and Bernadette to be co-maids of honor since she couldn't pick between the two of them. Raj also agreed to help and was happy to start arranging invitations and catering while Penny and Bernadette focused on the dresses.

A month was spent with the primary focus being the upcoming wedding. The date was yet to be decided on. Maria didn't exactly find the idea of walking down the aisle with a 7 month stomach appealing. They wanted to set it for after the baby was born, but didn't know when. At least it gave them more time to plan. One night at dinner, the entire time was spent talking about a color theme. The topic was maddening to Sheldon, Howard, and Leonard, but the rest were intrigued. It was as if they were eating in two separate groups that night. Occasionally Maria would lean over and ask Sheldon his opinion on certain colors and he would respond in monotone. He didn't understand why this was all such a big deal. It should be as simple as the vows and rings, not all the fancy expensive things.

Another month went by and Maria's baby bump was just barely starting to show. The girls decided to find her wedding dress sooner as they wouldn't be able to do it once the bump became larger. Penny took them out shopping and they ran around trying on numerous different dresses, feeling like princesses. Maria had tried on dozens of dresses from short sleeves to long to no sleeves at all, and from thin, mermaid like dresses to the large fluffy dresses that would typically be seen at a ball. Maria had 3 more dresses to try on before she gave up for the day. When she emerged from the dressing room in a full length gown with no sleeves and layers of soft white fabric, she knew she had found it. Bernadette held her hands over her mouth in awe, and Penny told Maria how beautiful she looked. Maria asked Penny to take a picture before she changed back into her regular clothes.

* * *

Sheldon had started to let Maria sleep in his bed with him recently, and one night in particular she was throwing up horribly. She returned to the bedroom, her hair sticking to her face and she was crying when Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and started singing.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Something my mother would sing to me when I was sick. It always made me feel better after she sang it."

"Sing it again." As he sang, Maria rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. The vibrations of his voice through his chest tickled her head, but eventually the song lulled her to sleep. Sheldon continued to sing after she had fallen asleep, just to make sure. He ran his fingers lightly across her arm and once he heard her snoring, he fell quiet. Sheldon looked down at the sleeping figure before him.

"I love you," he said before falling asleep as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the last chapter. I had wanted to end it slightly better but I got so caught up in other ideas for other stories that I suddenly lost motivation for this one. This is how I planned on it ending from the beginning though. **

**I am so so sorry...**

* * *

**12**

There were three quick knocks at the door to 4A. The group had been sitting in the living room, minus Maria who had left to run some baby errands. Leonard opened the door to find a police officer standing before him.

"Does a Sheldon Cooper live here?" the man asked, his voice low and rough.

"That would be me," Sheldon stood while Leonard invited the officer inside.

"I am afraid I have something very awful to tell you," he said. Sheldon's heart started beating rapidly and he could feel shivers as he awaited the news. "Your fiancée, Maria Clover, was killed in a car accident right by the Pasadena Theater. I am so sorry."

Everything stopped. The world became quiet. It felt as though a dark shadow was cast over the small group of people in the living room as the light of their life suddenly flickered out.

"That's not possible," Sheldon said after regaining his voice again. "You've got the wrong person, not my Maria. She's not-… she can't be-… No, please tell me you're lying. Please tell me this is some sort of mistake or sick joke."

"I'm sorry sir, she's gone. Her body is at the mortuary if you want to see her." The officer left with those final words hanging in the air of the apartment. _Her body_. She wasn't even a person anymore, just a body. A lifeless, cold body.

"Let's go," Leonard said, placing his hand on his friends shoulder. The drive to the mortuary was horrid. They had to pass the theater to get there. Leonard saw police cars surrounding the area, and he found Maria's car in the crowd, completely wrecked. Sheldon didn't dare look, he was afraid if he looked, it would become real. This could not have happened. _If I ignore it, it's not true_ he told himself.

Sheldon was lead to a room in the back, and there before him was a body that resembled the woman he loved. It wasn't her though, no Maria had color in her face, and her eyes weren't lifeless. Maria wasn't cold and grey, she was warm and soft. This wasn't his Maria, it just couldn't be. There were cuts along the face of the body that had been cleaned, and the impact of the car could clearly be seen. Sheldon felt a warm wetness trail down his face, and then more and more followed. He was sobbing heavily, his entire body shaking.

Gone, she was gone. So was their baby. The two things that had brought him so much joy had been viciously taken from him in the blink of an eye. He could feel the gaping hole in his chest, throbbing. It felt as though someone had stuck a rusty fork through his chest and dug pieces of his heart out. How can one person come into your life, and change it so much in such a short amount of time, and then be taken away so fast?

The light was gone. It wasn't even a flicker of a candle. It was gone. His life was entirely black, with no way of seeing what was in front of him. He was lost.

_Flash forward to present day_

"Sheldon, I am so sorry," Amy told him after he explained his story.

"I miss her so much," he said while flipping through the photo album. There was a picture of Maria and a baby that was drawn in pencil, with Sheldon's name signed at the bottom. "After she died, I didn't know what to do with myself." He came across the picture Penny took of Maria in her wedding dress and pressed it tightly against his heart. "I have to go," he murmured and exited the room.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while," Sheldon said to the cold, gray tombstone. "I've been so caught up in my work that I didn't have time. Leonard won't drive me here anymore so I have to take the bus. Don't worry, after every ride I thoroughly wash my bus pants." Sheldon ran his fingers along the rough stone. "I really miss you. I know that won't bring you back, but I need you. I'm scared Maria. There's a girl, her name is Amy Farrah Fowler, and I really like her. But, I don't want to betray you. I know this sounds silly, but could you _give me a sign_ that it's okay to move on? I won't do a single thing without your consent." He kissed his fingertips and placed them on the grass at the head of the tombstone, "I have to go now."

While walking back to the apartment, Sheldon tripped over a fallen tree branch. He shook his head. _Clumsy,_ he thought. While standing up he caught sight of something in the grass, something he had never seen before: a four leaf clover. There were no other clover's surrounding the tiny green miracle. It stood proud on its own. Could this be the sign he had asked for? Sheldon looked up at the clouds and smiled.

"Thank you."

* * *

**You all hate me now don't you?**


	13. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

**First off, I am honestly sorry for killing off such a sweet character. I really did love her and it hurt so much to write the last chapter, but I knew from before I even started writing the story that I was going to make it a tragic ending. I'm really sorry…. **

**Second- I really do love reading and writing Sheldon/OC stories, so I had an idea. If anyone has any ideas for more Sheldon/OC stories, I would be happy to write some of them! If anyone wants to give me any ideas just private message me. I thought this would be fun to do and kind of a gift for all the beautiful people who favorited my story and or myself. Thank you so much! **

_**-Phantom of Gallifrey**_


End file.
